Is Obama Washington's Biggest Loser?

Larry Sabato and James Taranto discuss how President Obama has lost middle America.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... for the Brock Obama is in Virginia this week because he has a problem in Virginia were to learn about at the moment but first ... as with the present Obama and the various candidates on the Republican side questions ... is the media playing favorites in this campaign welcomed opinion Journal I've ... were joined by of press America's best-known media critic of bread was all thanks for being with us a budget ... so you've been ... looking at the media for a one-time evaluating their work in the here we are the other presidential election season ... all in all but how are they don't wear lots of ... color that fairly or not so much ... as expected ... two years ago ... Steve Forbes and I were talking about me you were talking about two thousand and ... eight election ... and how they were one hundred percent ... cotton favor of Brock Obama ... and they said was husbandry and twenty while assemblers ... in the coming so how can it be worse than a hundred percent ... is it because in twenty twelve is gonna be a hundred percent for a while one ... percent against two overs against all the ... though it probably probably a little strong but there was certainly a lot of excitement ... and understand that given the historic nature the candidacy but now ... as we get to this year I he I get the sense at least ... watching his press conference is that ... the act is wearing a little bit but the questions seem to be more aggressive that ... I don't necessarily see of ... how that all trains lead-up translates into every story that those reporters and ability but you ... can feel like it still lot of ... overwhelmingly of ... course the big move out of its biggest non event in Washington and beautiful breasts ... the difference but so is the press conference is it because I've never known in my life ... I've never known anybody in the stonewall like Brock Obama ... you asked him how's the weather and again in twenty five admitted answer ... on the history whether ... on you will not get a stringent because he doesn't want to be what I'm ... so that the UK and other bets ... on ... the press coverage of him has not been to look at Solender Solyndra is just a classic the most recent ... example of ... of of the media side in what is the isthe who so what is the news is that which hurts ... Brock Obama ... just like the Banjo scandal just thirty eight CT scan of these things are calmer we think they are ... are not covered by the press ... we use to the study ... on ... a month versus a whimper ... a run at this point in its coverage of something like two and eighteen million in network news stories ... Solyndra fifteen ... OK well ... what the could be explained by the fact that ... Enron was a public company lots of investors ... I guess I will share world taxpayers were Loescher ... the average government insured government rescue the company of FoxNews range covers led to ... the Wall Street Journal page to cover slid up ... and be seen as ... CBS doesn't need he does so what ... the of the question none of the other candidates who ... you ... are not satisfied with the of ... coverage of the president ... how about the other Republican candidates are they ... some of them getting better treatment than others are generally ... so no one has won one person who is not getting favorable treatment ... but he's escaping negative prevent us from ... and they're they're couple of reasons for that one of is that the media plenty of police open so ... all the Republicans because they see him as the least conservative ... they see him as the most establishment of them all ... but what there is Michele Bachmann ... or Sarah pail of before her ... or repairing ... our Herman Cain ... if it's a conservator for tender that persons can be taken down but not just a little predictors Bay where more ... Gingrich ... I think you can see it they wanna get ... robbed they wanna be the guy in the nineteen seventy two Olympics was at the last kick in I think you can have a look at what they want that I'm the gets the front ... but I think is gonna be legitimate political map and well ... I tell us ... I would like to get back to Gingras ... Jamie Djezzy though the de la Pulls is the frontrunner out ... age he did or what ... he even if you're a big Herman Cain's and ... you want an aggressive bidding at this point if your daughter is ... to learn about him so they go ... to nominate the guys are Republican and then fried them in summer apps the mold of a hike you want a serious that ... we should demand answers but it ... just like you shouldn't admit investors betting ... of Brock Obama two thousandeight because it had been a serious vetting of Brock Obama ... into thousandeight ... had there been a discussion of the Bradford White ... and the Bill Ayer said although scandals in his life that had been vetted by the Press ... show real question ... hello my three points ... when he won the election Brightman a chartered everywhere that what ... what the chains of nine nine nine plan as you look it ... up ... how the media study ... honestly when we see some flaws in it here so ... it's a it's an interesting idea I think you gotta give him credit for for having a big idea and then maybe the soul's ... Sparky of ... eighty of ... them interesting dialogue about reforming the tax code ... shunned the media be the end of our hammered away on those looking for its flaws I take out ... the Conservatives have had contact sport and a professor of modern ... but that's the nature of our good health the ... bait and switch attempt on the contest just for second that should happen ... usage have ... been should happen honestly ... should have been very ... his case ... has more or less is today ... it that ... the more the better we the see in the series is ... that the mall to decide users' ... home was with the ninety two campaign that he can and I was within the New Hampshire ... and it was a reporter from the woman that the company said percent bear will have forever by celebrating ... it was a report of ACA will mention her name ... was afraid ... of ... this ... issue is is that their second bear very quietly very slowly ... when the store and so what's the ... issue said ... your just don't yet ... know we take you down ... it happened with twenty hours of it ... it was it was installed in all of the decisions ... but why bother Weiss said I'll what's been a drop of ink what's been a minute of air time ... what a candidate has no plan under which ... the West in Toronto but was below the average ... if Santorum moves up ... to comparable to what wondering if ... if you mentioned Gingrich and for either of the Gingrich or Rick Santorum you see a revival here and I guess the number read the media scrutiny ... if but it sorta anxious conservatives still at satisfied with Romney ... start to see some flaws and Herman Cain and maybe decide Rick Perry's Multaq idea of using it ... the Republican primary is that ... Iran has hit a wall or ceiling ... of of passion there is a certain part of the Republican electorate ... that supports and is passionate and they have been counted ... he can go beyond that number ... now ... that doesn't mean that you will get one of the bubble for him he's the nominee ... but it means that when the pressures concert people continue looking over shelters ... or somebody else will they went to pot when they went there may be carried the day they look to when it came so it can bestow the big picture one more look at who's left and that's why think ... no one will force his ideas ... and who was Number well on the banks ... I think that would give them enough ... should they should be interesting of the other is sure what that's about ... it ... as we have a little time era ... what does the Occupy Wall Street movement now ... I'm sure is that the media's what this league it's been challenging for the beef is you're not sure entirely ... with these people are of ... what we've got to sleep you know talk about bedding I wish they would start this one ... were looking to reporters at what they said when the tea party movement you bought ... about compared to what they're saying what the occupied Wall Street ... I'd tell me it's it's hilarious because ... when the key for the chemo ... mainly the report for white women sundown ... it was that the focus was that that they were deemed risk that they were frenetic said there were races that that that was the of the Koch brothers behind this that I was asked of her they were to be taken serious ... with these negative returns and everything ... a lot to me occupied ... Porsche people and ... the message is resonating ascendant in what is the Oval with ... Mourinho ago ... outside the Starbucks us well off their email it to forget it ... what ... what's the forget which gold was of was that though there has been the kind of tea party and be on the left and so ... will have a big driver of pent-up ... desire to study the sentences against a tea party what steps were taken to the ... to buy occupied Wall Street people with these debt for ... you when you're ... what I think that is that it's a question because of that the tea party at the ... job this point ... projected often as this kind of an extreme way in yet ... if you look at the basic argument which is ... the the the the balances budgets and probably don't spend what is to get a balance of ... really when you know people are painting the modern Republican Party ... the median pay as being warm words and this and have moved ... to this danger is part of a right ... that the construction in because ... if you look at what ... most Republicans stand for care with exception of Paul ... well while raises for ... Maren was former Conservative ... think that that conservatives are they firebreak call for the elimination of carbon of Energy Department of Education ... the Republican patches that ... works for you ... real at all except ... the role of the dollar's except from Paul on but but then that the interesting thing is this is the store the media will not to ... is ... in nineteen eighty he for one regret for president ... four percent American public call themselves conservative ... thirty percent ... today ... we've become extreme as was the percentage ... forty four percent ... to one up two percent to spawn legal ... papers ... place bread rice in a much larger ... Becky Bright a kid I wanted to quit Britain when we come back or to find out what the present Brock Obama is big problem is in Virginia we stay with us ... present Brock Obama has a problem in Virginia Larry seven so the editor of the ... crystal ball political newsletter is here to tells about the doctor some things for joining us ... the the the ... so what is Brock Obama is problem in Virginia ... the ... the best I ... if the economy here the way it is in all swing states ... Virginia often is not that often described as was stated you look historically that that's what they can speak up ... because the tremendous demographic changes ... believe it or not forget that actually came close to the fifty states ... to the level of its total the end of the total percentage into thousandeight ... Brock Obama got fifty two point nine percent nationally in Virginia he got to two point six percent ... so he's in trouble here ... I know he's in trouble in states ... where the cattle or percentage that he didn't reject it got about fifty one percent in Ohio ... fifty one percent of war ... but just barely in a fifty percent actually let her fifty seven North Carolina ... it doesn't carry Virginia ... is easily lose all those other states to take the lives of the state's you've got to get a second term ... of the word ... about the importance of Virginia that's why he's on the side trip this week you're also in North Carolina but ... a lot of time in Virginia ... on a of the store and would fall like a campaign trip by ... he's probably stretching the limits of of of our official business right now I'm calling this a ... a ... the government to ... reconsider a government paid a visit here but there were never ... forget that some Holzer we've got a few graphics but up on the screen that ... first is the president's approval rating in Virginia ... a fifty two percent disapproval ... only forty four percent approving ... other than that were also inside my head to head ... match ups potentially for next year ... um don't have our Herman Cain year but against the both of Mitt Romney and Rick Perry ... it ... doesn't look that belief yet that would ... explain the city what are the state like Virginia which arose he said is Kenichi in a bellwether ... he's got that allows an approval rating but ... he admitted that the judge it looks like he's competitive it is this just ... always one of those early making a bid before people though the opponents ... I she ... because ... while ... you follow this closely and live ... DVD is the only closely average voters that ... get a surprise to many people don't know Mitt Romney is I don't know who Rick Perry has ... never heard of her again ... look to the approval rate ... we do that actually lead to a state by state here's what we learned ... looking back retrospective through ... all the presidential contest since polling began in a bid by the Cairns ... the president has to have an approval rating in this day ... that approach is fifty percent in order to win on election day ... if you're well below fifty percent you're not going away because in the and ... the undecided voters either don't vote or are they moved to the opposition overwhelming ... they basically that's the question ... are we status why are we happy with the way things are going to be like this ... but ... that they haven't answered yes why legendary they have it approved ... the job that the president's doing they go to the opposition ... okay so we've been talking about Virginian why it's ... not just important in the electoral map but also important as a ... as a bellwether for the swing state with swing voters present obviously feels that way ... let's talk about why he's having trouble in Virginia and you might think ... at first glance that this is basically ... a problem with independents forty eight but what we're seeing also is the Democrats of ... a state the senator their Linda Polar saying is frustrating me just like these frustrating other people ... another US Trade Center fell apart at the saying of Naka to support it because I he doesn't support our coal industry ... aam ... is is that with them in the US this handsome above where his problem lies in in the electorate there ... yes the US ... is ... this great state ... like the cost to have elections every single year ... which means because of the theories that have led ... every six months ... so I've always been ... forget ... this year it's the off off off off here which means we have state legislative elections we elect a hundred forty members ... of the General Assembly forty of the states ... the House of delegates ... will want you just quoted are on the balance ... coming up in early November they're trying to retain their seats ... in the States after the House of delegates ... well ... politicians are very good at detecting whether president is popular or not ... while many politicians but they are really can to risks leading sinking ship ... the very first ones on ... Youtube you get a sense of what they're hearing door to door but what they're saying that many of these Democrats are saying ... Brock Obama I remember that I I I see this picture ... really associated with the Pursell ... thing is that basically dissatisfaction with the high unemployment rate or or the also have a lot of ... anger and mistrust over Obamacare I'm you how much of it is the ... specific policy items do you think of how much of it is just the fact that ... people are hurting its not a good time ... which ... there really that concerned about the reasons although obviously reasons are I think overwhelmingly economic ... secondarily ... Obama spirits up ... but ... you know it's the panic ... so that's why they're saying what they're singing about love and that's why Obama fundamentally has become popular ... people are frustrated they don't see ... a change they don't see the economy bounce back ... it did ... back in the next year and it's the elections ... a year a couple weeks away ... that Obama can recover enough to carry Virginia ... but he got along with ego he's got a steep uphill climb ... wrestling report would ... have been using a scenario where and with the Virginia and Windsor is that basically impossible given the electorate there that ... the map ... it's a it's possible I word politics ... right but I do think it becomes difficult the electoral map ... starts nearly ... half its two seven ... really they are substantially IDT's track Virginia ... when you spread Virginia ... I guarantee you North Carolina's gone ... probably Florida ... and quite possibly Ohio then you're stuck with cheery every other swings day to get to that ... robots ... appreciate you joining us today ... thank you so much ... an up with a well presented brick breaking the way forward or backward in time ever did you were to talk about the president's standing nationwide with our ... best with today columnist James trot oh please bear with us ... president is in Virginia this week we're just talking with lawyers have about the struggles and that the swing state in on that overlook the nationwide in the event is really getting much better for the presidency with ... Country hedging Surat are best with today columnist things for ... Thanksgiving or ... so of ... the of ... the ball so good I guess we will be on Virginia about the I have seen a lot of other ... bright spots are encouraging signs for the present nationwide it's hard to see what other than maybe the possibility that the Republicans will nominate somebody ... makes up gold in the patterns which doesn't look like it's can happen but ... professor de ISP's the new York Times a couple weeks ago which basically started by saying the Bombers lost Middle America ... that is he's given up on ... your arm Midwestern and Austral states like Ohio was gone when they mentioned but one can imagine that the whisper also include ... art Indiana Pennsylvania Eprex even Michigan Wisconsin ... said he was turning Schwartz as the seven of this is spinal tap this appeal is becoming more selective so he's looking to stick to swing states ... that have far better educated more diversified populations like Virginia like North Carolina ... I am Goebel not what states are Colorado and Nevada states like that ... well what will we see in you just talked with Mr. seventh of August ten am Virginia ... North Carolina the Times reported today that he went there need are gonna ... mug shot of less warm reception and he did ... I wouldn't either ... most people didn't even get up to rise a low and this was just a solitary by about a third of a percentage point in two thousand ate so it's not would stop work as a big margin of error ... so there's there's probably a deal ... out west there was a meeting of the Democrats from the region Las Vegas where they said Obama can Karen was concerned the house to move toward the middle ... I'd I can't keep making appeals to Blackwell you receive is keeping it goes to black white easy to make it kills a lot to the left is really happy with them so ... we had an artist paper today ... on the spot that by Doug Schoen of the Democratic pollster who did a poll of five ... people occupy Wall Street ... had found which the sort of my intuition odd ... before but he ... found numbers to back this up ... the vast majority who voted for Obama ... and less than half of them plan to vote for Obama not some of them are undecided so he may get a majority do with these are really has based his are ... you know the young people who saw meaning in Brock Obama ... they didn't find another seeking meaning elsewhere it would start winning a gold ... you say has a new message that some may find compelling which is that he is the president ... yet there was the whole area side story Kevin over the AP wire ... to present Obama says he's traveled around at taxpayer expense by the wisdom of smaller segment ... because I am the president he said that ... the maker of Fridsma say he's the president of ... all the kids were going to economic tough times together well ... who else was the president of all birds are and economic ... uncertainty of Herbert Hoover ... Jimmy Carter admin ... I'm the president is not necessarily the best message of the time like this incumbency has its advantages but side ... you've got to deliver something of a threat though all the euro is actually a ... the show Doug Schoen of pulling the ... protesters in the occupied Wall Street movement to you all so I guess we ... didn't tell them exactly maybe more like a focus group but the ... you you visited the protesters said they believed the site that I'd I did it wasn't worth going to see but I have been the neighborhood so ... I thought I'd see and ... and that what what is your sense that it was what the what the show and all ... sorts of the of the people I found there were ... mostly very earnest I did you know well meaning young people ... they seemed confused ... about tidy I like most people I met there now ... bought my friend who hosted the party that I have had attended a block away who lives right there in the neighborhood ... email me and said what you have to come back ... you know when when the park is more full ... then you'll need the real crazy anti Semite Samoa people were so it's possible that this was a ... bet on representatives have less I was leaving in a taxi going Uptown ... I saw some guys have marching menacingly down the middle of the stream of them was wearing a face mask that were shouting slogans at midnight some of them look like they were scuffle with cops other is that disrupted on there as well ... OK but the Spars of publishing the update that the crew ... nationwide ... not that the polling for the present megacity as we pointed out once you've lost the New York Times had lost ... her right and there was a poet CNN poll bonds above ... U S were up so ... if a Denso Dortch robot if Obama is lots of your time ... it took George W Bush could lose in New ... York Times long before he lost over its future ... it will look which is pricier never interrupted and the ... odd that we're going to go to ... the Republican side ledger we've been talking alot about the Brock Obama is pulling in and I were talking about a Republican candidate Herman Cain and our main Street Columnist Bill McGurn Bill thanks for being here thank you ... so this of this is a big night for the project is a very big night he said ... the Dow and five but he's he's certainly a front runner and ... people wanna see him explain his plan a little more ... Republican candidate debate tonight ran ... I would think there are ... even more that Last Update which I think maybe not as many people saw it I given the distribution of ... the storm ... you have to think a lot of people are going to be ... in the mean you got me to live and read all the certain what Herman Cain must do what he was not to ... I actually think Herman Cain's Wherry is because he has listened to most that ... he's ... manifestly the most likeable person out there these in terms of resonating with people ... I'm not that ... thrilled with his nine nine nine plan I don't think it's practical ... I'm not really gets it because life I'd take more of an instinct ... that policy ... is instinct is to lower the taxes ... and so forth so I don't I don't think the necessary lives or dies with that the ... whole half that place isn't there some question are retired or near Baltika yesterday they said that if the plan goes down it's can be apart for one K not to go down with it but ... I've been feeling of what the lot of ... conservatives out there who would like to hear ... what the instates even if the plan really means a lot and I'd I think that I think that's true and what does it mean for the planned to go down ... the stock to be put up to go if he looks weak and if any in the need of any has a lot of Holton in ... Suffolk the we know the darkness of the Argentinians planets don't have another a new tax on top of the other taxes ... if he is an answer for that ... you know in an ideal world I think that's fine ... I think what people are hearing is ... on the guy and he really wants to lower taxes and radically throughout the tax code ... I think that's partly what they are responding to not miss the specifics of the plan ... you talked about how he's succeeded at this point by being unconventional has a ... tea party guy and and has not had the big structure ... I think the money starting to come and now he's he's everything Governor Romney isn't know whatever people dislike about ... Herman Cain people believe he believes what he says ... they know where the cinema not like we're just and so forth ... pretty certain the opposite in that respect so he is the millions that advantage but what we're going is it possible for him to lose that advantage if the warning comes in ... and that he builds a bank structure any hires a lot of pros who have done this every four years ... Standard advised the NASA TV script that everything that everyone has wanted to know what they do it ... I'm you know the rap on him is that very difficult to handle and so forth so it doesn't seem like that ... would be ... said is injured but the ... but the the opposite problem what is I think everyone finds a ... refreshing when they see someone running guerrilla campaign that ... but having the US and not just Herman Cain I mean Governor Perry is your last I mean look like someone said don't make a mistake ... if I weren't Governor Perry shoes I would come out and make ... RomneyCare ... the whole subject even at the expense of being a little rude End to ... to go below the top level where the governor has one of the answers ... into cutting into what is the difference could be between RomneyCare one when no one RomneyCare two for now ... I think that's Governor Perry's ... real chance not this immigration stuff that he has I think that's what ... that's what would be down with with voters did not sure he ... is up to it with all these other way euro you and shout about it you think the UN that are going really well it is right the last time Romney just one which is dominating the table ... then I think if I were advising government area to you that the only table ... and health care is the reason where Kia you know the reason for the tea party or was that ... we have a candidate that Davis Obamacare which were both off but ... it should be a weakness that doesn't seem to be ... and if I were Republican candidate I would ... I be the one to return to that subject ... as often as they could and down to guarantee for the details ... to make of an Iranian couple ... okay though out of the candidates of people talk about new Gingrich also Rick Santorum thinking that ... conservatives are still looking for the alternative directly ... if they decide that there are falls entirely team Bachmann etc ... do they come back to sort of ... this ... was the establishment politicians of all type of experience and ... they've got the brief they've got talking points on every issue ... his revival for Dimitre Central ... I don't ... I mean I think they both have parts that have appeal and so forth ... the main thing what would ... you Hynix's lesson is ... simple addition estate in this race ... you know given to one point was counted out a staff walkout ... any just eighty Jimena had that much money ... and I think Governor plenty state in ... he would be a player now which he's not I wonder about that at the show spent less money early just it just to stay in the game see a few more Cartwright I think you've built up the structure to the point where it to forbid he could no one would predict a mean people would predictive Romney would still be among them is that no one predicted ... that in the Herman Cain ... right now from the needy ... get it right behind ... were ... the ... worst we didn't present the overstating the monster so lot of fun things up again ... and that thanks for being with us that it was to ... occur every day at five Eastern for opinion Journal I've ...